As UFC fans, we can watch an epic number of fights throughout the year, but there’s always those special bouts that have unrivaled attention, hype, and build up. These often spike the UFC betting arena. This could be due to the rivalries that have been built up in the media, the skill of the fighters, or what’s at stake from the result.
I love these fights more than anything and while we wait for UFC 309 and the next UFC Fight Night, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at the best of the best. Now, I’m not ranking these based on the quality of the fight – instead, I’m going purely on PPV buys as an indicator of the hype and draw these matches had – you’ll not be surprised to see that McGregor features in 8 of the top 10!
Out Listing
I’ve also gone in reverse order for this list of the highest UFC PPV buys of all time, so if you want to be a spoilsport, just scroll to the bottom and see who’s No.1!
10. Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 194 – 1.2 million
I remember the build up and stakes of this fight – on one side you had an older Aldo who was unbeaten in like 10 years, while on the other side you’d got this brash trash-talking Irishman looking to make a name for himself. We all know the fallout – McGregor stunned the world by knocking Aldo out with a single punch and ending the fight in 13 seconds – this was the stuff of MMA legends.
9. Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 205 – 1.3 million
Yes, McGregor again – get used to it! This time, the event was significant because the state of New York had just lifted its ban on pro MMA so it was the first fight to be held here for years. McGregor also had the chance to become the first ever dual-weight champion which he succeeded in doing by claiming a thrilling second-round stoppage win over an outclassed Alvarez.
8. Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir II – UFC 100 – 1.3 million
I actually knew Lesnar more for his WWE talents but I came to see his UFC skill after he put an end to his rivalry with Frank Mir III at UFC 100. The whole card was packed with epic fights, but the headline was Lesnar defending his title against (at the time) the only man who’d beat him. As we all remember, Lesnar was successful with a round 2 TKO.
7. Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal – UFC 251 – 1.3 million
This one I wasn’t as familiar with and many say that it’s popularity was due to circumstance. UFC 251 came at a time when sports were generally halted due to the global pandemic, so many people tuned in because they had no alternative! The fight was relatively underwhelming with Usman winning in 5 rounds by unanimous decision.
6. Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz – UFC 196 – 1.32 million
“I’m not surprised” – the famous words I remember Diaz uttering after he had just shocked the world by submitting McGregor in an intense two-round fight. The build up and trash talk before this bout were classic and only added to the tension and PPV hype, but the fight itself was something else. McGregor looked to be dominating Diaz in round 1, but as we all know, the Irishman couldn’t maintain his pressure and ultimately Diaz made him tap out.
5. Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone – UFC 246: 1.35 million
Everyone wanted to see McGregor fight again after getting battered by Khabib over a year ago, and they would get the chance at UFC 246. This was McGregor’s comeback fight against The Cowboy. I wasn’t expecting such dominance with McGregor being 35, but he obliterated Cerrone in just 46 seconds with an epic series of shoulder strikes and a head kick – McGregor was back.
4. Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor Mark III – UFC 264 – 1.5 million
The Poirier vs. McGregor trilogy as it’s now known culminated in their third matchup at UFC 264. There had been some bad blood before this event and things had turned a little toxic. This was expected to be the clincher – the fight to end it. But as we know, things got a little murky when McGregor broke his leg in the first round and lost by TKO. Because of the less-than-stellar ending, both fighters have expressed interest in Poirier vs. McGregor Mark IV.
3. Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor Mark II – UFC 257 – 1.6 million
After McGregor had defeated Poirier in their first fight, The Diamond was out for revenge and he got it at UFC 257 which drew a PPV crowd of 1.6 million. I couldn’t believe it when Poirier landed a range of leg kicks and then knocked McGregor out cold in just two rounds. This ultimately set the scene for entry 4 in the highest UFC PPV buys of all time and one of the top MMA rivalries.
2. Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor Mark II – 1.6 million
Until Nate Diaz got that shock submission on McGregor, he was unbeaten in the octagon. This meant that the hype and stakes for Diaz vs. McGregor Mark II was high and it drew in a PPV crowd of over 1.6 million. The fight was spectacular and lasted for an intense 5 rounds with McGregor ultimately gaining the majority decision and enacting his revenge.
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 229 – 2.4 million
What else could be number one on the list of the highest UFC PPV buys of all time? I knew it would be this even before researching the stats! Everyone wanted to see McGregor take on The Eagle and knock him off his perch and they got that chance at UFC 229. This fight had it all and it saw Khabib lose his first ever round as a UFC fighter. However, The Eagle would end up defending his lightweight title after submitting the Irishman in round 4.
So, there you have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip down UFC memory lane – I certainly enjoyed compiling the list and watching old clips of the fights. Who knows, perhaps the 2.4 million record will be beaten eventually?